Bang the Drum
by stubadingdong
Summary: Events that lead up to "Precious Cargo" offer a new perspective. Mwah.....
1. Default Chapter

TITLE: Bang the Drum  
  
AUTHORS: stub&Joe  
  
SERIES: ENT  
  
PAIRING: Tu/T, A, R  
  
CODES: angst, romance  
  
RATING: PG-13  
  
DISCLAIMER: The characters are not ours. They never have been and never will be.  
  
SUMMARY: Trip and T'Pol try and figure out what's really going on. An "in- between episodes" piece.  
  
SPOILERS: Takes place from Singularity through Precious Cargo, with a nod to the Seventh.  
  
NOTES: This was written for the contest at http://triptpolers.houseoftucker.com. Oh, and any incidental Archer-bashing one may perceive was carefully constructed.  
  
  
  
Trip Tucker was glad they cleared that black hole. He still couldn't believe he'd taken Captain Archer's request for repairs to his chair quite so seriously. Though it hadn't been his fault entirely, he still couldn't help but feel like a damn idiot.  
  
And he still felt bad at how he treated Malcolm. They bickered the whole time and actually got into a fight. Trip couldn't even remember exactly what the hell that was about. He actually felt sorry for T'Pol. She had been the only one unaffected by the radiation and had taken a lot of misguided anger for her troubles. At least Malcolm was being just as big an ass as Trip had been. Hell, even the Captain wasn't very congenial. He was glad he wasn't the only one.  
  
He grunted as he lifted the barbell over his head. Trip toyed with apologizing to them. It might make him feel a little better about it. He and Malcolm had been avoiding each other for the last few hours. No doubt the security officer felt just as stupid. Trip felt even more so...doing all that just to please his captain. No...to please his best friend.  
  
Eighteen, nineteen, twenty...he clanged the barbell back on its supports. An angry knot settled in his stomach as he lay on the bench. Did he really want to go there? He tried not to think about the last few months in which Jon had seemingly begun to gradually drift away from him...to T'Pol. They'd been spending quite a bit of time together. And it had infuriated Trip when they disappeared together to catch some Vulcan fugitive. Jon wouldn't tell him anything, not even things an Acting Captain ought to know. There was too much secrecy and it drove him nuts.  
  
Trip sat up and looked around the gym. He sighed heavily. He definitely didn't want to be thinking about this. He wiped his hands on a towel, got up from the bench and wandered over to the mirror. He studied his reflection for a moment. Trip mopped absently at his brow with the towel. He tried not to feel left out. What a childish thing. We're all adults Trip thought. But I was friends with her first.  
  
If he were to really think about it, Trip would admit that he'd been spending as much time, if not more than Jon, with T'Pol. She always needed assistance with something or other and Trip was more than happy to lend her a hand. It was kind of fun, really. It allowed him to stretch his skills and solve a few science problems here and there. Besides, Trip actually liked spending time with the Vulcan. It might even be possible that she liked spending time with him as well. In fact, it was usually T'Pol that called him to help her, and he figured she knew by now that Trip wasn't going to turn her down. They worked too well together.  
  
"Trip?" asked a distinct British voice.  
  
The engineer snapped out of his thoughts and looked at Malcolm Reed's reflection in the mirror. He forced a smile and turned around.  
  
"Hey, Mal."  
  
Both men stood there and looked at anything but each other for a bit in uncomfortable silence. Trip, not able to handle silence for long, was the first one to break it.  
  
"Look, Malcolm," he started and waved a hand absently. "I'm sorry. Even though it wasn't really anyone's fault, I treated you like crap an' I'm sorry."  
  
"Nonsense," the armory officer replied with a shake of his head. "I bugged you about my upgrades incessantly. I don't blame you for getting pissy with me. I came here to apologize to you."  
  
Trip chuckled. "I guess we were both kinda outta line, huh?"  
  
Malcolm smiled and nodded. "Yes, I suppose we were." After a pause, "All's forgiven?"  
  
"Definitely," Trip said. His smile faded. "At least between us. I still have one more person to apologize to."  
  
"Who's that?" asked Malcolm. "The Captain?"  
  
Hell no Trip thought bitterly. Aloud he said, "T'Pol, actually. I was kinda rude to her, too. She didn't deserve it. She jus' wanted some help and I couldn't give it 'cause I was so goddamned fixed on that stupid chair."  
  
Malcolm said nothing, but nodded as he watched his friend. "Everything alright?"  
  
"Yeah, why?"  
  
"Dunno," Malcolm shrugged. "You just seem a bit...well, angry."  
  
Trip blinked. "If I'm angry it's at myself for actin' like I did."  
  
"You're sure that's all it is?"  
  
"Yes, Malcolm!" Trip snapped. He wasn't in the mood for an interrogation.  
  
The security officer held his hands up in defense. "Ok, Trip. Point taken."  
  
Sighing, Trip bowed his head for a moment. "Sorry again," he mumbled. "Look, I'm gonna get outta here before I ass-up again. I'll see ya later, Malcolm." And with that, Trip disappeared out the doors leaving Malcolm Reed standing alone in the gym wondering what was bothering his friend.  
  
***  
  
After a quick shower and a change of clothes, Trip went to visit T'Pol. It was a bit late in the evening, but he figured she would be awake. Trip knew she was a night owl. They'd spent many a late night working together on various projects.  
  
Trip rang the buzzer and waited. Maybe she isn't home he thought with a scowl. Probably in Jon's quarters. But a few seconds later the door whooshed open and his scowl vanished.  
  
"Commander?" T'Pol greeted him.  
  
"Evenin' Sub-Commander," replied Trip. "Can I come in for a minute?" He peeked in around her and added quickly, "If you're not busy?"  
  
"I'm not and yes you may." T'Pol stepped aside to let her guest in.  
  
"I'll keep it short," said Trip as he walked into the room. T'Pol raised a curious eyebrow. "I just came by to apologize."  
  
"Apologize for what?" asked T'Pol.  
  
"For bein' an ass to you."  
  
Stepping closer, T'Pol said, "It was not your fault. The radiation from the black hole was causing abnormal behavior in all the members of the crew."  
  
"Yeah, well...that doesn't mean I don't feel bad for what I said to you," Trip tried to justify. "I'm still responsible for my own words and actions. And I jus' wanted you to know that I'm sorry."  
  
She studied him for a moment. "Actually, I should be thanking you, Commander," said T'Pol. At his look of confusion she continued. "It was your behavior that alerted me to the problem."  
  
Trip thought about this and nodded. She knew him well, apparently. But she also knew Jon and chose him to help her this time. He felt that knot in his stomach cinch up just a bit.  
  
"Why not wake Travis to pilot Enterprise? Or Malcolm?" Trip suddenly asked. "Or me?"  
  
T'Pol cocked her head and replied, "Ensign Mayweather had been drugged by the doctor. He was my first choice. Logically, after he was out of the question, I went to Captain Archer as it is his ship. He knows Enterprise just as well as anyone."  
  
"Not as well as me," Trip said quietly. "I wish you'd have come to me." He didn't look at her.  
  
The Vulcan said nothing, but her brow furrowed slightly in confusion. "Is there something bothering you, Commander? If the way I handled the situation is not satisfactory to you-"  
  
"No," Trip interrupted. "No, it's not you." He worked his way back to the door and paused. "T'Pol, what did you and the cap'n do on that away mission?"  
  
She blinked, caught off guard by the question. "Why are you asking?"  
  
Trip shrugged and leveled her with a stare that teetered somewhere between a gaze and a glare.  
  
T'Pol inclined her chin slightly. He could see her putting on the 'professional' mask. "I cannot tell you, Commander. It's classified."  
  
Trip nodded and looked away. "Fine," he said. "It doesn't matter anyway. I'll see ya later." And he was gone.  
  
***  
  
T'Pol stood in her room and stared at the door. She blinked. She certainly didn't understand this man that just left. The more time she spent with him, T'Pol was certain she was getting to know him, but then he did odd things like this. Perhaps the radiation hadn't worn off completely.  
  
But something was bothering the Commander. T'Pol had her suspicions, given the questions he'd asked. However, she did not believe it to be her responsibility to find out. As she got ready for bed, she couldn't shake the niggling in her head. It may not be her responsibility, but she found that she *wanted* to know for sure what was bothering Mr. Tucker. T'Pol had no idea how to do this. It was unfortunate.  
  
Perhaps she could inquire with the doctor in the morning. He knew how to better deal with Humans than she did. T'Pol climbed into bed and tried to find a comfortable position.  
  
Perhaps she could talk with the Captain. He and the Commander were good friends. Captain Archer could handle this much better than she. T'Pol turned over.  
  
Perhaps Lieutenant Reed knew something. The two men had become quite good friends, from what she could tell. T'Pol sighed.  
  
Perhaps she should just leave things alone that did not concern her. T'Pol closed her eyes and willed herself to stop thinking and just go to sleep.  
  
***  
  
The next morning at breakfast, T'Pol and Captain Archer sat patiently and waited for Commander Tucker. He was late. Archer had paged Trip twice in his quarters but there was no response. After fifteen minutes and no Chief Engineer the captain gave up.  
  
"Let's eat," he snapped. Archer signaled for the stewards and they brought in breakfast.  
  
"Captain," T'Pol said. "It is not like Commander Tucker to skip breakfast without notifying you." She cut delicately at her grapefruit.  
  
"I know," replied Archer. He salted his eggs and looked curiously at the Vulcan.  
  
T'Pol did not look at him. Against her better judgment, she continued. "I thought perhaps you knew if there was something bothering him."  
  
Archer put his fork down and stared at T'Pol. "Is this concern I see?" He sat a little straighter in his chair. "You're worried about Trip. Do you know something I don't?"  
  
"Not at all," she said quickly. She glanced up. "He stopped by my quarters last night. He seemed...out of sorts."  
  
"He stopped by your quarters?" Archer cocked his head towards her, his fork stopped midway to his mouth.  
  
"Yes," said T'Pol. "It isn't unusual, Captain." She considered his posture and continued. "What was unusual was his behavior. And he didn't seem to want to address it with me." She raised an eyebrow. T'Pol did not tell the captain that Commander Tucker was usually more forthcoming with his personal life. She didn't think Archer would appreciate that, though she didn't know why she had this...*instinct*, her brain supplied for her.  
  
"Oh," Archer said. He was silently pushing his eggs around his plate. He'd grown unusually quiet.  
  
"Sir?"  
  
"Huh?"  
  
"I thought perhaps you could talk to him," T'Pol suggested uneasily. It was not her place. She shouldn't be concerned with this. "He is your...best friend, is he not?"  
  
The captain stared seemingly through her, his brow furrowed.  
  
"Sir?"  
  
"Yeah." Archer snapped out of his reverie. "Yeah, he's my friend." He glanced at her and sighed. "I think I might know what's bothering him."  
  
Curious, T'Pol thought. Aloud she said, "So you will talk to him?"  
  
A slight scowl clouded his face but quickly cleared. He seemed to force a smile and looked at his science officer. "Sure, T'Pol," Archer said with a dose of false cheer. "I'll talk to him."  
  
T'Pol nodded, studying him. Should she be concerned with his behavior as well? Her idle thoughts last night about the lingering radiation effects crept back into her brain. Perhaps she'd better keep a close eye on her Human colleagues today. T'Pol turned back to her breakfast with a silent vow to run more tests this morning.  
  
***  
  
It was a boring day in Engineering and Trip Tucker was just going through the motions. He sat in front of his monitor in the corner pretending to work and trying not to think. He didn't feel like being in a good mood today. Everyone always expected him to cheer them up. It was starting to annoy him. Some days a guy just wants to be left alone.  
  
The door to Engineering opened and the captain stepped in. Trip groaned inwardly. The knot he'd thought disappeared last night reared its ugly head again in the pit of his stomach. He'd dodged a bullet this morning. Trip should have known Archer would come looking for him. Can't hide from the Captain.  
  
Sure enough, the Captain spotted him and strode forward across the room. Trip put on his game face and greeted Archer with a smile that didn't reach his eyes.  
  
"Hey Trip," Archer said casually. He also had a forced smile in effect this morning. "You missed breakfast," he pointed out. "That's not like you. Everything alright down here?"  
  
"Fine, Cap'n."  
  
The two men stared at each other.  
  
Archer raised his eyebrows expectantly. When no further information was forthcoming he crossed his arms and said, "You could've called to let us know you weren't coming."  
  
Trip narrowed his eyes and replied, "Guess it slipped my mind. Sir." He added emphasis on the last word. "Sorry 'bout that. I'll try to let you know my every move from now on."  
  
Archer was slightly taken aback. "What's going on with you?" he asked. His brow furrowed in concern and frustration.  
  
The engineer merely lifted his chin in thinly veiled defiance. "Didn't feel much like havin' company this mornin'. Is that a crime now?"  
  
"Watch your tone, Commander," warned Archer.  
  
Trip crossed his arms over his chest and bowed his head. He was struggling not to lose his temper. He looked up at Archer and nodded. "Sorry."  
  
Both men knew he didn't mean it. Archer looked around Engineering. "Let's take this conversation someplace more private, shall we Commander?"  
  
"After you, sir." Trip held his arm out in a gallant gesture.  
  
He followed the captain out of Engineering. They made their way to a small observation lounge. Trip sat heavily in one of the chairs and waited.  
  
"Have you been sleeping enough?" Archer asked. He wandered over to the window.  
  
"Yep."  
  
"Eating?"  
  
"Uh-huh."  
  
Archer turned and looked at his friend. "Then what the hell is your problem, Trip?"  
  
"Is it Trip or is it Commander? I'm havin' a tough time tryin' to sort out when I'm your friend and when I'm your Chief Engineer," Trip said calmly. He glanced up and met a fiery glare.  
  
"What is this all about?" Archer threw his arms up in exasperation. "You're pissed at me, that much is clear. What'd I do this time?"  
  
"Nothin'." At the captain's blank stare Trip continued. "That's the problem. You do nothin'. You don't give me any information when you leave me in command. Nadda. I guess I'm startin' to resent that."  
  
Archer opened his mouth to speak but Trip pressed on. "For example, you go runnin' off with T'Pol on some secret mission and don't even bother to tell me a goddamn thing!" His voice was getting louder. Trip stood up. "What if I'd had to launch a rescue? I wouldn't have known where to start lookin'. You run outta here half cocked-"  
  
"That's enough!" Archer shouted. "Enough, Trip!" He balled his fists, seemingly out of frustration. They glared at each for several moments. "I couldn't tell you anything. It was classified."  
  
"Bullshit!"  
  
"Commander! I'm done warning you," Archer growled.  
  
Trip shook his head and continued. "You coulda easily told me which planet, or set up some communication time to check in. You didn't hafta leave me blind an' stupid up here!" Trip was seething. Before thinking, he added, "You like havin' a secret with her." It was an accusation.  
  
Archer was silent. "So that's what this is about. You know, I had a feeling this is what was bothering you." He pondered that before continuing. "Why are you waiting til now to tell me off? Why let yourself stew about this for so long?"  
  
Trip snorted derisively. "Maybe you've forgotten, but I tried gettin' information outta you back then. You ignored me. An' hell, you've been ignorin' me ever since."  
  
"I have not!" Archer spat.  
  
"Fine. Whatever. Go spend your free time with T'Pol an' leave me be." Trip turned away from Archer.  
  
Archer stared at Trip's back. He put his hands in his pockets and waited. After a minute of tense silence, he spoke in a softened tone. "Is that what you see, Trip?"   
  
"Yes," Trip answered, his back still to Archer. "Nowadays, you only come lookin' for me when you have an Engineering problem. For anything else, you go to T'Pol."   
  
"I do not," Archer insisted.   
  
Trip turned around and stared incredulously at Archer. "Cap'n, please."   
  
Archer put his hand up. "Wait a second, Trip. Let's not let this cross over into personal."   
  
"Jon," Trip sighed, "it already has."   
  
Archer didn't seem to know what to say. "I-I didn't know this bothered you so much."   
  
"Well, it does."   
  
"Trip..." Archer began. He walked over towards him. "I'm sorry I didn't give you more information when I left you in command. I was between a rock and a hard place. I didn't want to leave you hanging."   
  
"But you did," responded Trip. He was still smarting about it and wanted Archer to see this.  
  
"Yeah Trip, I did." Archer and Trip were now standing side-by-side staring out the window.   
  
"And you sided with T'Pol."   
  
Archer turned towards Trip. "There were no sides. I had my orders."  
  
Trip turned a sidelong glance at the captain. "You took orders from the Vulcans and kept it from the rest of your crew...from me. I woulda been your second-in-command, you know."  
  
"Yes, I know. But it wasn't my fault..."   
  
"Jon," Trip turned to look at Archer. "You're the Captain. The buck stops with you. T'Pol is a member of your crew. She's a subordinate. Secret or not, if you wanted to tell me, you could have. You *should* have."   
  
"This was different, Trip. It was personal."   
  
Trip's eyes narrowed slightly. Personal? He felt his chest tighten and his heart sink. "Personal or not, you needed to tell me something about where you were goin'. I deserved that much."   
  
Archer sighed. "Yes, I should have." He paused. When he continued, his voice was more optimistic. "Trip, there is nothing we can do about the past. What's done is done. We need to move on from here." Move on? Trip thought. What the hell? Aloud he asked, "An' how do you propose we do that?" He couldn't keep the sliver of anger from his tone.  
  
"Well, for starters, whenever you assume command, I will be more forthcoming with my destinations." Archer seemed pleased with his statement. Trip tried not to roll his eyes.  
  
"It's a start," he replied coolly. "An' how about the other stuff?"   
  
Archer seemed momentarily agitated but recovered. "We'll deal with that too."   
  
He was being too evasive for Trip's liking. He honestly thought Jon had no idea just how much this was bothering Trip. The captain just wanted to sweep it under the rug and forget it all. Fine Trip thought. He wants to play it that way, we will.  
  
"Okay, Jon. Sounds fine to me." At this point, Trip would have poked himself in the eye with a screwdriver to end this conversation and get out of there.   
  
"So, we're good then?" Archer asked hopefully.   
  
"Yeah, we're good." Trip inwardly rolled his eyes. Clueless sonofabitch.  
  
"Great." Archer stuck his hand out and he took it. "I'll see you for dinner then?"   
  
Trip cursed to himself. "Sure, of course. Wouldn't wanna' miss two meals in one day." He smiled, mainly for Archer's benefit.   
  
"See you later, Trip." And with that, Archer left.   
  
Trip stared at the door and shook his head. Jon had given him the flimsiest of ropes to hold onto. So he'd get some information from Jon when he was off the ship. Big deal. Jon still didn't address the other issue.his burgeoning friendship with T'Pol. What the hell was going on there? And why was he the odd man out? He had a bad feeling about this. Trip fumed as headed back to work.  
  
End Part One 


	2. Chapter 2

Captain Archer had mentioned nothing of the talk he supposedly had with Commander Tucker. Not that it was T'Pol's concern. She'd done her part in mentioning to the captain of his friend's recent disposition. The Vulcan saw less of the Chief Engineer in the couple of weeks to follow. She also noticed him eating more meals with Ensigns Sato and Mayweather and Lieutenant Reed. Something in the back of her mind told T'Pol this was a curious behavior, decidedly unlike the Commander's usual routine. He took only one meal a day with her and Archer as of late, if that at all.  
  
T'Pol kept reminding herself it was none of her business. Perhaps these Human men were quarrelling with each other. Though they seemed to be on pleasant enough terms. At least in her presence, though she did detect a certain amount of tension. T'Pol noticed Mr. Tucker stealing more glances at her than usual, as if he were trying to figure something out. She dismissed it immediately as him just being...well, him. She was rather grateful that she was spending less time in his presence. T'Pol slowly realized how much time she'd spent herself thinking about this man. It was illogical. He was her coworker, nothing more. She decided it would be best to limit the time spent with the commander, refusing to request his assistance until things righted themselves between him and the Captain. T'Pol couldn't shake the feeling that she had something to do with it.that she'd somehow been situated between them.  
  
Ridiculous she scolded herself. I have done nothing to perpetuate their discomfort with one another.   
  
She kept to herself, taking the Commander's lead in sharing only one meal a day with Archer and Tucker. T'Pol absorbed herself with various independent projects. She was more than relieved when they happened upon an alien ship requiring assistance with some life support systems.  
  
Captain Archer had called upon Commander Tucker's expertise to assist these new aliens. As she and Archer met him in the corridor, T'Pol briefed Tucker on what little they knew. Again, the tension between the two men was palpable. T'Pol looked closer at Commander Tucker. He barely even looked at Archer. But the captain didn't seem to notice or make a show of it.  
  
Curious, she thought. Perhaps it was more one-sided than she had originally suspected.  
  
T'Pol suggested to the Captain that Tucker go ahead and repair the life support system on the alien vessel. Archer agreed readily and the Commander disappeared into the alien ship without so much as a look over his shoulder. He seemed very eager to get off Enterprise, even if it was only for a short while. T'Pol couldn't help but be just a tad alarmed. This was not like him at all. She now knew it was not a residual effect from the black hole they'd encountered earlier.  
  
She shook her head, clearing her thoughts before they consumed her. The captain had invited these aliens, Mr. Goff and Mr. Plinn, for a meal while Commander Tucker made the repairs. T'Pol had time to meditate before the meal. She took this opportunity to settle her mind and remove thoughts of the chief engineer.  
  
***  
  
The meal started out in an uneventful manner but soon Mr. Goff received a warning call from his ship. He left the table in a huff to investigate. Captain Archer exchanged a concerned look with T'Pol. Warning bells rang in her head. Soon enough, they proved accurate as Mr. Plinn was hailed to help Goff with something. Plinn ran out in haste.  
  
The Captain, T'Pol surmised, must have had a similar red flag raised. He tried to hail Commander Tucker. No response. T'Pol felt a brief flicker of panic in the pit of her stomach. Archer called upon Lieutenant Reed to escort Plinn back to his ship. After an abrupt firefight in the corridor, Goff had escaped; breaking the docking clamps and proceeded to lead Enterprise on a chase. Commander Tucker had been kidnapped, perhaps even injured. She did not think Goff would go as far as killing him, but it was not outside the realm of possibility.  
  
T'Pol pushed out the concern and put a professional mask into place. They gave chase to Goff's starship but it was to no avail. They needed to try a new approach. A decision was made to use the trapped Plinn to their advantage. As expected, he was less than cooperative. Captain Archer had come up with a ruse to scare Plinn into cooperating. It was not something T'Pol was used to doing; play-acting as a Vulcan dictator. Secretly, however, she enjoyed watching Archer bow to her. Their performance was effective. Mr. Plinn gave them the warp signature from his ship and they were able to search and find the vessel, now orbiting around a planet comprised mostly of water.  
  
Scans indicated, however, that Mr. Tucker was not on board. In fact, the entire vessel was empty. They did note that an escape pod had been deployed. They hoped Commander Tucker had launched the pod and not Goff.  
  
"Scan for Trip's biosign," Archer ordered.  
  
"Aye, sir," replied Lieutenant Reed, already doing so.  
  
T'Pol surmised that the pod had crash-landed. She hoped Commander Tucker was still alive, if it was indeed him that was in the escape pod.  
  
"Sir," said Reed. "I've located *three* biosigns." He looked at Archer in confusion.  
  
T'Pol double-checked his findings. Indeed, Mr. Tucker was not alone. One of the biosigns appeared to be Mr. Goff's. The third was unidentifiable.  
  
"It appears Mr. Goff has ventured down to the planet as well," she said aloud.  
  
Archer furrowed his brow in concern. "What the hell is he doing down there?"  
  
"Maybe he wants whoever belongs to that third biosign," Reed suggested. "Hoshi, did you see anyone else on board when you were over there?"  
  
The communications officer thought for a moment and then shook her head. "No, sir. Just a woman in a stasis pod. She was frozen and asleep." Ensign Sato paused for a minute, then added, "But that's what Trip was fixing. Maybe he un-thawed her somehow and they escaped together. If so, maybe Goff wants her back?"  
  
Another woman? T'Pol felt something that was decidedly not panic in her stomach this time. She scowled to herself, careful to keep a neutral expression on her face. She did not like the sound of this. She paid closer attention to the conversation.  
  
"Plinn did mention getting paid to deliver their 'cargo'," Archer mused. T'Pol could see a flicker of anger in his eyes. "Malcolm, get the shuttle ready. We're going down there. Let's try to find Trip and this precious cargo before Mr. Goff does."  
  
"Yes, sir," said Lt Reed, all too happily. He practically ran for the lift doors and was gone.  
  
"T'Pol, let's swing by the armory on our way to the launch bay," replied Archer, rising from his seat. "Travis, you have the bridge."  
  
T'Pol heard an "Aye, sir" as she entered the lift. The captain was by her side in no time and they made their way down to the armory. They grabbed some phase pistols and met Reed in the shuttle.  
  
On their way down to the planet, T'Pol remained silent unless she was directly spoken to. Lieutenant Reed and Captain Archer started discussing Commander Tucker's current situation. She was only half listening to them bantering back and forth. Only when they began talking about the woman did her interest become fully roused.  
  
"Let's just hope she's old and ugly," said Reed with a smile.  
  
"Malcolm, that's not very nice," Archer returned. T'Pol caught a quick wink, however.  
  
"Commander Tucker doesn't exactly have a clean track record when it comes to socializing with alien women." Reed shot a quick glance at T'Pol and added, "Present company excluded, I presume."  
  
She glared at the armory officer and only raised an eyebrow in answer. She heard the captain trying to stifle a giggle with a forced cough. T'Pol sighed inwardly and again wondered what kept her on this Human vessel for so long. Lieutenant Reed cocked his head at her, his eyes not wavering from hers, a small smile playing his lips. Did he actually expect an answer?  
  
"Commander Tucker is my colleague," T'Pol stated haughtily. "As are both of you." She waited.  
  
Reed did not disappoint. "Of course he is," was all he said, ignoring the second part of her statement. He turned back to the controls.  
  
T'Pol could still see him smirking. How pompous she thought, narrowing her eyes. Her glare shifted from Lt. Reed to Captain Archer. He sat with his hands folded on his lap looking thoughtful. He blinked when he noticed the Vulcan looking at him and offered her a smile.  
  
"I'm sure Trip's being a perfect gentleman," said Archer reassuringly.  
  
"It's not my concern, Captain," she said coolly. T'Pol didn't like where this conversation was going. She decided to change the topic. "Perhaps we should keep our minds on our mission. Commander Tucker may be in serious danger and we need to remain focused and alert."   
  
Archer and Reed looked sideways at one another, as if sharing some sort of private joke. "Agreed," replied Archer. "Thank you, T'Pol, for bringing us back to the matter at hand."   
  
T'Pol knew condescension when she heard it but decided not to pursue it further. The three sat in an uncomfortable silence as Reed piloted their shuttle to land on the planet's surface.  
  
They exited the shuttle swiftly, weapons at the ready. Lieutenant Reed heard the phaser blast first. The three of them quickened their pace in the direction of the shot, picking their way cautiously through the dense vegetation. T'Pol heard Commander Tucker's voice followed by the voice of a woman. She scowled and pointed the men in the direction of the conversation.  
  
Splashing noises gradually increased as the three Enterprise officers approached. Archer peered first through some foliage and slowly lowered his weapon. T'Pol came up behind him and peered around. What she saw caused a swell of unfamiliar emotion to rise in her chest.  
  
Commander Tucker was almost disrobed entirely, stomping around in his Starfleet blues. The woman was neither old nor ugly, much to T'Pol's reluctant dismay. She was beautiful and similarly undressed. Archer spoke then, alerting Commander Tucker to their presence. The engineer spun around, a look of shock written all over his face. T'Pol could hear Lieutenant Reed snickering behind her. From the corner of her eye she saw the captain trying to hide a smile. What was with these males? Did they not realize the repercussions of such a situation? What if the Commander had had sexual relations with this woman? What would that mean for her people and their rules, should there be any? What ramifications would this have on Commander Tucker? Would he get infected with some alien virus? Would he become pregnant again? And what if he wanted to do it again with this woman?  
  
As she silently fumed while all these thoughts flashed through her head, T'Pol's glare did not waiver from Mr. Tucker's. At least he had the decency to look ashamed and sheepish. She hoped for his sake that nothing happened.  
  
"I guess we should get everyone back to their respective ships, huh?" said Archer, breaking the tense silence. He cast a glance at the ground where Goff was laying unconscious.  
  
Commander Tucker took this opportunity to retreat back to their campsite, the alien woman close on his heels. Her raven hair flowed untangled behind her. T'Pol scowled as she and the other two men followed. She heard Archer whisper quietly to Reed, "So much for being a gentleman." The armory officer stifled a laugh.  
  
Considering that he was a Starfleet Captain, Archer did not seem to grasp the catastrophic circumstances involved with Commander Tucker's actions. He seemed more concerned with exploiting whatever humor he could derive from this situation. T'Pol was frustrated with the whole lot of them.  
  
They had everything packed into Shuttlepod One in less than twenty minutes and were safely on their way back to orbit. Commander Tucker refused to make eye contact with T'Pol. The woman however, introduced as Princess Kaitama, glowered relentlessly at the Vulcan. Mr. Goff, still somewhat out of it, remained blissfully unaware of his surroundings. The ride back was mostly silent, the men exchanging glances and smiles when they thought T'Pol wasn't looking or paying attention. She caught them all. She intended to have a word with Mr. Tucker about his behavior.  
  
End Part Two 


	3. Chapter 3

**Authors' Notes at The End**  
  
She was waiting for him at the lift. Trip should have known. T'Pol had remained unusually silent from the second she'd laid eyes on him and Kaitama down on the planet. Now that Kaitama was gone, he knew T'Pol was going to pounce. He wasn't in the mood for this. He hadn't even had a chance to think. Trip didn't like the annoying swirling in his belly. He wasn't quite sure what to make of it; a combination of dread, guilt and fear. He looked up at T'Pol again, meeting her glare head-on.  
  
"What do you want, T'Pol?" Trip asked as he reached the lift. His voice held barely contained patience.  
  
T'Pol raised an eyebrow at him and said, "May I have a moment?"  
  
"A moment?" Trip inwardly rolled his eyes. "T'Pol, I'm tired, I'm hungry and I'm downright beat. Can't this wait 'til later?"  
  
She continued without missing a beat. "I trust you were a gentleman while you were absent."  
  
"Beg your pardon?" he said. He bent his head dramatically towards her as if he hadn't heard her.  
  
"Your track record in dealing diplomatically with alien females is not the cleanest, Commander," T'Pol replied coolly. They stepped into the lift. "I'm trying to give you the benefit of the doubt."  
  
"You mind tellin' me what makes you think this is any of your business?" Trip snapped. "An' why would I need 'the benefit of the doubt' anyway?"  
  
"You were in your underwear."  
  
"So? Did it occur to you to ask why?"  
  
She said nothing, so Trip pressed on. "Lemme tell you why: I had to use my uniform to make a dummy to lure that sonofabitch into my trap. I had to make him think it was me he was firin' at." He looked at her.  
  
T'Pol raised an eyebrow.  
  
"You've gotta be kiddin'," Trip sighed. "You don't believe me? Why am I not surprised?"  
  
She cast him a sidelong glance. "You won't turn up pregnant this time?"  
  
His head snapped around to face her, a scowl etched across his forehead. "God, T'Pol! Are you *ever* gonna let that go?" His temper was being tested.  
  
Again T'Pol didn't respond.  
  
Trip continued, "If I didn't know any better, Sub-Commander, I'd say you were jealous." He looked expectantly at her.  
  
Taking a deep breath, she replied, "Obviously you don't know any better. For your sake, Commander, I hope that whatever actions you took on that planet will not come back to haunt you or Enterprise."  
  
He narrowed his eyes at her. She was beating around the bush. Trip wasn't sure why this was so damn important to her, but he was quickly growing tired of this conversation. He decided to end it.  
  
"If you really think it's so goddamn necessary..." She started to speak but he cut her off. "You're one hundred percent correct this time, T'Pol," Trip said evenly. The lift stopped then, depositing them on the Officers Quarters deck. They stepped out and continued down the corridor.  
  
"Correct about what, Commander?" She looked at him cautiously.  
  
"I just couldn't keep my dick in my pants this time!" Trip said angrily. At her raised eyebrow, Trip's tolerance dissipated further. "I fucked her, T'Pol. Is that what you wanna hear?"  
  
A second eyebrow joined the first near her hairline. "I hope that it was worth any diplomatic nightmares that you may bring upon yourself and the crew."  
  
Trip snorted. "Would it change anything if I told you she fucked me? That I didn't even *like* her? That maybe *she* took advantage of *me*?" He realized in that moment that he hadn't wanted Kaitama at all. But she was there and she was willing and she was...familiar somehow.  
  
They reached his quarters and he keyed the lock. The door swooshed open. Trip turned to face the Vulcan. She looked like she was thinking. Her gaze met his.  
  
"Why did you do it then?" T'Pol asked quietly.  
  
Noting her change in tone, Trip's demeanor softened. Stepping into his room, he silently invited T'Pol in to continue their conversation. She entered hesitantly.  
  
"I dunno, to be honest," Trip replied with a sigh. "One minute we were arguin' an' the next thing I know she's kissin' me. An' then before I could say anything she's on toppa me an'...well...it kinda went fuzzy after that." His cheeks reddened. "I guess you can figger out for yourself what happened next." He gestured to the chair at his desk for T'Pol to sit in.  
  
"I think you filled in the blanks well enough, thank you," she replied, sitting down. Something crossed her face for a moment. "You said things got fuzzy?"  
  
"Yeah, like I wasn't even in control of myself anymore," he said. Trip sat heavily on the bed. He looked up at T'Pol. "I had no intentions of sleepin' with her, T'Pol. I swear I didn't." He covered his face with his hands, absently rubbing his temples. He wasn't sure why, but it suddenly became very important that she know he was being honest.  
  
"She is from Krios Prime?"  
  
Trip peeked out from behind his hands, nodding. "Yeah, that's what she said. Why?"  
  
T'Pol's gaze wavered for a split second. She shrugged and stood up. T'Pol strode to the door. Trip followed. "Perhaps you should get some sleep, Commander."  
  
"Oh I plan on it," he replied, a ghost of a smile on his lips. As she turned and opened the door, he said quickly, "T'Pol, I'm sorry I was so crude with you. I'm jus' tired."  
  
She merely bowed her head once and made a hasty exit. "Damn Vulcan," he muttered as he flopped onto his bed and fell fast asleep.  
  
***  
  
The chief engineer was certain he hadn't set his alarm. He was off duty for the next 36 hours, yet there was an annoying beeping that slowly pulled him out of a wonderful dream. Trip's eyes fluttered open as consciousness swam back into focus. That beeping was coming from his computer.  
  
Trip dragged himself off his bed and padded to his desk. He sat down and turned on his monitor. There was a message blinking from T'Pol. He smiled as he read it. She wanted to talk to him. She'd discovered something and needed his assistance. He had no idea what she was talking about, but it'd been a couple weeks since they'd worked on anything together. He was looking forward to it.  
  
It was then that Trip remembered the dream. Or rather had an impression of the dream. T'Pol was in it. He frowned, trying to remember details and wondered idly why he felt guilty. He had nothing to feel guilty about, right? Stupid dream he thought. He shrugged and wandered into the bathroom for a quick shower.  
  
After cleaning up, he buzzed T'Pol. She requested Trip meet her in her quarters at his earliest convenience. He chuckled at her formality and told her he'd be there shortly. He had to admit, he was expecting more of a lecture than what he got. At least what he'd gotten so far. Maybe it was all a ruse to get him there and then she'd tear into him. But Vulcans don't do that, do they? T'Pol wouldn't be vindictive, would she? And why would she have a reason to? It wasn't like he cheated on her.  
  
Whoa Trip thought. Where'd that come from? He was appalled with that notion.  
  
He arrived at her door and rang the buzzer. He heard a faint "Enter" and keyed the door open. Stepping into her quarters, Trip saw her perched in the chair at her desk.  
  
"Sub-Commander," he greeted. Trip was suddenly nervous.  
  
"Commander," returned T'Pol. "Did you sleep well?"  
  
"Um, yeah," he said. "What's up?"  
  
She stood and approached him. "I've done some research about Krios Prime. Based on your comments about being unable to control yourself around Princess Kaitama, I've discovered something that may provide some insight." T'Pol gestured to the computer.  
  
Trip's brow furrowed in confusion as he sat down at her desk. He read the information on the screen. "What the hell is an 'empathic metamorph'?" he asked, looking up at the Vulcan.  
  
"In her culture, once every seven generations there is a rarity that occurs. A female empathic metamorph is bred. She is able to unconsciously mold her personality to meet the desires of those males around her," T'Pol explained. Her expression was impassive.  
  
Trip's jaw dropped open as he processed this information. "So what you're sayin' is, Kaitama fought me tooth an' nail 'cause that's what my subconscious desire was? She seduced me because that's what she was bred for?" He narrowed his eyes in disbelief.  
  
"I believe so," said T'Pol. "I was able to determine from Doctor Phlox that the levels of pheromones in her bioscan were elevated drastically. I do not think, however, that Princess Kaitama intended to do what she did. Perhaps she herself is not aware of her...condition. Although, one might surmise that perhaps her captors knew of her abilities." "And that's why they had her in that stasis chamber," Trip finished. "It makes perfect sense. They knew damn well what she was capable of doin' and they kept her in there so she couldn't influence them to possibly let her go." "I concur," replied T'Pol. "It would stand to reason that your loss of control was directly linked to her invading your subconscious. Even though she may not have known it, she took advantage of you." Trip looked at T'Pol. "Ya think so? Heck, if that's the case, I s'pose I'm not really responsible for my actions down on the planet. That's not like me." T'Pol looked thoughtful. "Perhaps, Commander. But those feelings had to come from somewhere."  
  
The engineer sat silently. Kaitama molded her personality to fit that of a raving bitch for his sake? That didn't make any sense. He didn't find that set of qualities all that attractive. There had to be something he was missing.  
  
"It doesn't make any sense, T'Pol," Trip said aloud. "I'm not even attracted to that kind of person. She was sparrin' with me. Gettin' under my skin. Drivin' me crazy." He shook his head. "Why would she fight with me like that?"  
  
T'Pol wandered to her bed and sat on the edge. Locking her gaze with Trip's she replied, "Perhaps she was able to pinpoint something inside you, a feeling that you have for a member of the opposite sex. It had to be someone you already know and are attracted to. It could even be someone with whom you disagree on a regular basis. She was able to appeal to those feelings by emulating them to fit what she believed was your ideal woman."  
  
He was still confused. "The only person I know that I disagree with on a regular basis is-"  
  
Oh God Trip thought. He looked away quickly. He could feel his cheeks flaming again.  
  
"-is me," T'Pol finished quietly. Her eyes focused on the floor. They sat in uncomfortable silence for several minutes.  
  
"T'Pol," Trip started. "I dunno what to say." He chanced a glance at her. She was staring at her feet. His brow furrowed as he opened his mouth to speak again. Nothing came out. He looked up at the ceiling, hoping that something would come to mind.  
  
"Commander, you were correct about something," the Vulcan finally spoke. Her voice was almost a whisper.  
  
Trip turned towards her cautiously. "I was?" He was confused. At her nod he added, "About what?"  
  
T'Pol lifted her gaze to his once again. "I was...envious."  
  
His eyebrows shot up his forehead. "You were?" Trip was flabbergasted. "I didn't mean that comment when I said it, T'Pol. I was jus' pissed."  
  
T'Pol took a long, deep breath. "Regardless of your intentions, you were right."  
  
"You were jealous," Trip repeated. "About me and Kaitama?"  
  
"Yes," she admitted. "I did not like seeing you with that woman."  
  
Trip was still stunned. "Hell, I didn't like seeing me with that woman."  
  
Jealous, huh? He liked the sound of that. But then a thought struck him. "What about the Cap'n? I thought you two..." He couldn't finish his sentence. Trip looked down sheepishly and then back up at her. "You know..."  
  
T'Pol allowed her confusion to show for a moment. Then a look of comprehension passed across her face. "You thought Captain Archer and I were...involved?"  
  
Trip nodded. "You'd been spendin' so much time together. Hell, I just assumed it was for.personal reasons. Somethin' to do with more secret missions or whatever." He stopped himself before he let that line of conversation go any further. Guess she's not the only one jealous. He waved a hand absently. "I'm sorry, T'Pol."  
  
She raised an eyebrow at his confession. "Is that why you've been distant lately?"  
  
Trip thought about it for a second. "I guess so. Figgered I'd leave you two to it," he replied with a shrug. "I think I was a bit green myself. I'm glad you're not...involved with anyone." He couldn't control the smile that formed on his lips.  
  
"With Captain Archer?"  
  
Trip nodded. "Yeah, with the Cap'n. Especially with him."  
  
T'Pol considered that. "I do not want to place myself between the two of you."  
  
"You won't," Trip said quickly. "*We* won't." He looked at her and smiled.  
  
"So now what do we do?" asked T'Pol.  
  
Trip stood and strode to the bed. He sat next to her. They both looked down into their laps.  
  
"I dunno," Trip sighed. "I guess I never allowed myself to think about it. I never wanted to admit to bein' attracted to you. But now that the cat's outta the bag, I guess I'd better step up, huh?"  
  
"Indeed," she replied. Tentatively, she reached a hand out to his.  
  
He watched as her fingers laced with his own, his stomach flopping nervously. Trip looked up at her face where his gaze met hers. He bit his bottom lip.  
  
"What's goin' on here?" he asked in a whisper. His free hand reached up of its own accord to gently stroke her cheek. She flinched slightly at his touch. "Sorry," he muttered, but his hand remained.  
  
Trip realized they'd been slowly leaning towards each other. His eyes closed a split second before her lips touched his. A shudder ripped through him. He felt T'Pol stiffen and then melt into him. Her lips slid against his in silky earnest. Trip deepened the kiss, his hand slipping behind her head. He felt her grip on his other hand tighten.  
  
After what seemed like forever, the Vulcan pulled away to catch her breath. She looked into his eyes. "I think we've just taken a huge step in Human/Vulcan relations. Though as you know, Commander, I'm no princess," she said quietly. Something tugged at the corner of her mouth.  
  
Trip chuckled and wrapped both arms around her, pulling her close. "Good. I never cared much for royalty anyway," he replied with a wink.  
  
The End  
  
***Authors' Notes: We got our information about the metamorphs from the TNG's "The Perfect Mate" episode. Since neither of us watched it before writing this, we're not sure if we got it right or not. We're doing it more from memory than anything, so hopefully y'all were able to suspend your disbelief (or were just flat out blissfully ignorant and everything fell perfectly into place) to enjoy the explanation of this. stub was very unhappy with Trip's actions in "Precious Cargo" (not that he got laid, but who he laid) and this version ties everything together nicely. At least we think so. 


End file.
